Fluid-motor.



l. D..HUDGINS.

num mom. APPLlCATlON FILED DEU 20. 19\6. n y

Patented eb. 2o, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

ll Illllllll llllllllllll ATEN IVERSON D. HUDGINS, 0F CHAMBLEE, GERGIA.

Brion.

- FLUID-MOTOR.

Specification of. Letters Patent. p

Application led December 20, 1916. Serial No. 188,01.

relates, more particularly, to an improved fluid motor or motors capable of use in conjunction with streams or other bodies of water for the storing of the motive power derived from the current, waves and other similar disturbances.

The invention has for its principal object to provide a power generating apparatus which will collect .and further, materially intensify by gravity through the medium of a' system of leverage, the motive power. or energy of a body of water, whereby, air may be compressed and stored. `for use as ay means for propelling various forms of machinery, both electrical and mechanical.

It is another object of the invention, and one of equal importance,.to provide a supporting means for the power generating apparatus, so 4constructed and arranged as to permit the storing of the air in its compressed state therein and permit efficient eX- haution of the same therefrom, when desire A still further object of the present invention is to provide means for transmitting the power or energy from an active body of water to the power generating apparatus. and, by reason of the novel arrangement of gearing, converting the said power or energy into a form which will permit proper operation of the apparatus; the said transmitting means being capable of automatically adapting themselves to such variations as may occur in the general level of the water.

. 4.Other objects relate to considerationsof economy of production, .installation .and

maintenance, durability in use, and convenience in operation ofthe several -mechanisms or 'parts entering into the constructlon of elements and the above delined general organization of said elements.

One embodiment of the subJect-matter of the present inventlon is shown by way of illustration in the accompanying drawlngs,

in which: a

Figure 1 is a perspective .of a portion Vof the .improved power generatmg apparatus,

' air therethrough.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the improved transmission and power converting apparatus, the compressing pumps being incidentally shown in fragmental form; and

Fig. 3 is a: transverse section taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2.

Similar characters of reference are employed in all of the above described views to indlcate corresponding p parts.

Referring now more specifically to the several figures `of the said drawings, the improved apparatus is provided with means for supporting the same above a body of water, comprising a` pier, indicate-dV in its entirety by the numeral 1 and including a plurality of-oppostely disposed spaced apart.

hollow standards, generally numbered 2. The upper portions of the standards 2 are provided with suitable connections, whereby horizontally arranged piping 3, 4 and 5 may be engaged an eliicient truss or bracing means therefor, and, further, providing a .novel reservoir whereby the air compressed by the generatmanner 'of which will be subsequently described. The lower portions of the standards 2 are closed and are embedded inthe bed of the stream, thus serving as the usual piles commonly employed for supporting piers. Other pier l, parallel to the piping 4, 5 and 6 and has tapped thereinto at suitable points pipes 8, the upper portions of which extend at substantially right-angles to thebody portions and connect witha vertical tubing 9, said i tubing having arranged upon its upper end a cowl or protecting hood 1.0. Truss wires 11 are connected to the upper end of the gagement with the rigid and liability of collapsing overcome. By so arranging the tubing 9 and connecting ratented Een. 25, 1919.

therewith, as at 6,. thus providing piping 7 is arranged upon the the same with the piping 7, I provide means` whereby air may be taken from the atmosphere and delivered to the power generating apparatus for compressing, the piping 7 serving. more specically, as an intake manifold. Elbows 7 are also tapped onto the piping 7 at .suitable points throughoutthe ength thereof and permit the lintroduction of air into .the generating or compressing apparatus., Suitable valves may be interposed in these elbows 7 to control the passage of v The piping 3 is providedl thereby. U

A platform for supporting the, generating throughout its length with plurality of taps or nipples 12, the saine extendingzdownwardly into engagement with the' generating or compressing apparatus and servingas er,- haust ports therefor, whereby the 'compressed air may be expelled therefrom and delivered into'thezreservoi-'r piping 3,l whereupon it will be stored.` v i. v

Suitable connections may be made with thepiping 3;-Or ,4f atthe innerend lof the pier in order-that 1 the. compressed air may be :exhausted therefrom .and conveyed by 1 suitableQcondui-ts tomachinery to )be driven 0.13 compressing -apparatus isarranged on studd-ing 13 which studdin'gis secured to4 the standards 2 by .suitable unions, as at 14. .Upon-.the studding 13. are arranged a'plurality of-bolsterbars15,;to-which the faces of the .generating orA compressing apparatus,

whichA will be morey fully hereinafter described, may .be connected.

With. a :view: toward providing means .whereby such. disturbaneesas. may Abef caused or wave .forees, maybe ,employed as. meansfor generating power, .l.seeure,1as abovestated, to the bolster barsylany number of air compressing .pumps whichv may be and, .preferably are.V of a,..d uplex. ,type, the pumps; being ,supportedA by .vert-ical'standards 16v the lower .ends. of..whieh.. are secured lby fastening ineans',.1 7s` tothe .opposite faces. ofI pairs of ,the bolsterbars 1,5, while the up per portions --thereef-are, offset,l as .at .18,v and embrace.- the sides andi..,tops. ofthepump cylinders. A

. substantially.U-shaped base or cylinder suppertingbarlQ issecuredto Jthe. standards 16 gat points,adjacent,theoifset portions .18, or

.;. bolts ,20.,and serves for an obvious. purpose.

i5-.the same duringoperationwill be prevented.

The dependingpiston rods-21 of the -air compressingpuinps passthrou-gh guide arms 22,

wherebyflateral or other undue movement of fletatabl-y supported in bear-ing arms 23, which arms are .secured v.to the opposite marginal edges of'hebolsterbars. 1.15, as at .24:isa shaft25carrying a gear or pinion A rack bar .27l is Slidably arranged directly beneath the .pin-

...QI.126. .and .meshes withtheggear 26. Crank disks28 and29 are, mounted upon the oppo- 'extremities of vthe shaftwQ and have D 11,1 e1 1 30,;.eonneeted therewith, theupper `ejndsof.which are.,v pivotally connected. to.- the -ldjiwentfendsofthepistonrods 2,1,..as at 51.

Arecip"roea'tloiif0'f;the rack bar 27, an 'oscillatorymotlong will be.v4 imparted to the.

shaftjZfb'y reasonof gear 26, hence,A dueto l.

the lconneetion.. ofthe crank Vdisks 9.8 and .29 withjthepistoir rods. 21. of the compressing pump cylinders, thepistons working. therein will be cau-sed .to perform, .theirfassigned functions, namely, the intaking,.eompress shall indicate,

onsly Vthat is, the Vsame may andthe exhausting of air, which air, as hereinbefore stated 1s delivered in a com- .pressedstate into the reservoir afforded by thepie-r 1.

' Referring now to the means for transmitting motion to the rack bar 2.7, whereby, the duplex -air compressing pumps,v` which 1 furthe purpose of convenience by the numeral 32, may be provided, l rotatably mount in arms, agear wheel 3 5, thesame being. constantly in mesh Ylwith the rack-bar 27. .AnV arm'. is secu-red to the gear .wheel-'85, as. at 37 and. projects' diagonally downward. 1n proX1mity;.to.the pier and water, the flower-most. end of"l the said arm carrying. a float or pontoon 38,.whereby' the saniewill be rendered su-,iicientlybuoyantandwill respond instantly -to variations caused bythe disturbances. in ythesaid. body of water. Thus, it is evident,v that uponthe occurrence of variations of level in fthewater, caused. by the .tidal changes, `waves or swells,.the arm 36.4w1ll be. oseillated, there- .preferably arranged upon. the opposite sides yof the. bolster bars 15 supportedy on the. Vpier 1. Thus, by employing a Vbattery of .air compressing pumpsand power transmitting .1 neans, an enormous aniountof air .will be compressed and stored .for various uses.

Vllurthermorait is to vbe appreci,ated,that

the ,pier 1 maybe of-anydesiredlength,

shore line forany distance, such-ascendi- .tions or preference may dictate, thereby, en-

albli-ng.the' arranging, of any number 0f air compressing pumps and power transmitting means thereon.

Altheughit isbelieved thatthe. description` hereinbeforc ,contained W11-.;.pQJI.IL1i.-a

full .understanding of the limprev,ed b4newer generating apparatus, i the operation Aof the saniemay vbe vreviewed Aasfollows.:E .Upon .oscillation ofthearmssf, dueto variations or disturbances.; in f the body of ali-Tater `withy f.

which the same areengagea-a reciprocatory movementV will bederived-therefrom .through the .medium of. the; rack-bar 27,

which is in mesh` with the gear -wheels .and .35. ,Hiawatha .pistons are actuatedvv whereby the. various duplel eumpressiing To preventinj uryto the Y project .beyond the pumps will be alternately driven, intaking from the intake'manifold 7 and exhausting into the piping 3, whereupon, the air' now in compressed form will be stored in the pier. As it `becomes necessary to exhaust the compressed air from the reservoir or pier, the connection as engaged with the" piping 3 or at the inner end of the same may be opened accordingly.

It is to be also noted, that by reason of pivotal mounting of the arms 36, such variations, whether minor or major, occurring in the level of the water will not affect the 0peration of my improved apparatus, since the pontoons 38 will permit the said arms 36 to automatically adapt themselves thereto.

As many changes could be made in the above construction and `many widely different embodiments of this invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that al1 matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. It is also to be understood that the language used in the following claim is intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described and all statements of the scope of the invention, which, as a matter of language might be said to fall therebetween.

I claim:

A water motor including, in combination with a reservoir support, a substantially U- shaped upright secured to said support having its upper end portions offset, a bracket arm secured to the oset portions of said support, alined sets of 'bearing brackets on the support in proximity to the upright, pump cylinders arranged on the oizset portions of the upright and said bracket arm, a gear supported in certain of said bearing brackets, a second gear supported in the remaining set of the bearing brackets, pistons working in the cylinders having eccentric connection with said first gear, a rack slidable under said iirst and second gears and meshing therewith, a rocker arm secured to the second gear, a buoyant element engaged with the free end of the rocker arm, and means connected to the outlet ports of the pump cylinders and the reservoir support for permitting the storage of air compressed therein.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature hereto.

IVERSON D. HUDGINS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Gommissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

